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The Turkey Theft Tale
You've received disturbing news: your island prized Thanksgiving Turkey was just stolen! All of your settlers are in shock and panicking about what to do. The thief made a clean escape leaving very few clues behind. A few foot prints lead off into a forest, but the trail slowly disappears. Something has to be done in order to restore Thanksgiving for your island. Is this year’s Thanksgiving ruined or will you help save the day? You decide!
For this forum game, we'd like you to fill in the blanks and finish the story:
- How do you find the Turkey thief?
- Who stole it? (you can use existing NPC, or invent a new one!)
- What were the motives for stealing the turkey?
We're looking for a minimum of 100 words. Bonus points will go to those who can come up with creative, original and humorous stories - let your imagination go wild! We'll also reward the best contributions with some special loot!
The deadline for entries will be 23:59 EDT on November 29th!
If you have any questions, send me a private message and I will answer them; adding any that I feel pertinent to this main post.
Happy writing!
-BB_Odhran
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The angel gate looked strange.. Feathers were everywhere and the smell of something cooked was filling the air. The bronze weapon-smith was suspicious. Only the feeling of pain was driving him to the statue. It was just yesterday they had a meeting at the mayors office about the thanksgiving turkey leaving the wheat-fields and no where to be found. The smithy blow the horn hard so all the workers could come and see the spectacle. All the towns people were in ore as they saw the feathers. "This is our turkey and all that's left is the feathers... what shall we do for thanks giving...The turkey is dead and only white fluff left for us."
The mayor stepped up and opened the door the the Angle Gate and there it was the evidence all of the coal miners were feasting on the turkey and drinking brew.
"You guys are stuffed!" "No we'ant the turkey was." with that all the miners were in an up roar of laughter. Later that day the miners were forced to pick berries and make bread cornucopias. The next day there was a great celebration and everyone for gave the miners.
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'Twas the night ere Thanksgiving and all over Zeus,
not a creature was stirring, not even the moose.
The tables were set, the best glass and flatware,
in hopes that turducken soon would be there.
I ducked into trade, to sneak a quick nip
and laugh at the lowballs of a cranky old whip.
I bought some bronze swords and a cannon or two,
Then I made a remark about bytes that are blue.
I heard a commotion; now what was the matter?
(I armed myself with a stanky fish platter.)
Demerits in hand, who should I see?
Scolding me gently, it was Mod_Manatee.
It seems I can't say things about the game's gods
nor can I disparage our beloved young mods.
"No politics, issues or matters of church,"
said the mod from the murk of his swampy wet perch.
Chided, I wept; I cried and I cowered.
I ran for the lee of my fine harbor tower.
Oh wait, I forgot. I don't have one of those,
In spite of my efforts -- well, that's how it goes.
So to all of you settlers, here's to your health.
May your nights be filled with warmth, cheer and wealth!
I'll not give up my quest; for the tower I fight.
And I wish you tofurkey and a gin-soaked good night!
(DISCLAIMER: Zeus players will understand some of the obscure references above. Nothing but fondness and respect is intended by this post, for other players, moderators and Blue Byte staff. "Lowball" is a reference to lowball offers, nothing more; no tacky double entendres intended. And, above all, please forgive my lame attempt at humor. Oh, and yes, I really do want a harbor tower. :-)
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Improved Butcher Bob (“IB Bob”) was distraught. When he arrived on John-Axe island in March 2017, his transport and butcher shop cost the island 625 eggs - eggs which could have been allocated for securing a badly needed third Improved Mill which also cost 625 eggs. But after the Island installed two Improved Mills that Easter, it was decided to skip the third and install IB Bob’s shop instead. The Island’s two Intrepid Explorers had lobbied hard for IB Bob so they could do their longest searches. That meant he had wonderful allies in the two Intrepid Explorers, but triggered resentment from the residents who relied on water.
He had done all a butcher could do to mollify the water users. One or more clearly had bided his time until the right moment - Thanksgiving eve - to ruin him. They knew he lived in the forest next to his home (the forest that was there when the Pinewood Cutters didn’t have a crisis and mow it down until the Pinewood Foresters repaired it, but that is a story for another contest), and so cleverly led the thief’s tracks straight into that forest, into his garage, and onto his personal butcher table. A few turkey feathers on that table and he was marked a Thanksgiving thief - distinctive metallic-silver tinged feathers belonging to Thaddeus, the prize-winning stud turkey which was the Mayor’s side project.
If now the Mayor demanded he leave he had to leave. Clearly he had been framed. The possible culprits were easy to identify: all those who used water. Thankfully his two grateful allies were explorers, Intrepid explorers at that. Instinctively he knew the culprits would not axe the prize turkey. They would encourage incessant complaints to the Mayor until the Mayor was compelled to remove IB Bob from the Island on the ground he could not be proven guilty but was nevertheless too disruptive due to rampant suspicion to stay. IB Bob knew he would be soon exiled to calm down the Island unless he found Thaddeus the Turkey quickly.
So he gathered the two explorers and they pored over the list of water users, which was easily accomplished by clicking Economy Overview, Resources, and Water production on their 21st century laptop connected to a 21st century generator which the two explorers found while looking for Ali Baba’s Woodcutter. Thaddeus’s thief had to be one or a combination of the Simple Papermill boys, the Friary friars, the Improved Bakers, the Advanced Papermill boys, the Intermediate Papermill boys, or the Stable hands. Fortune was with our three, because otherwise this account would become too long. They correctly guessed the Papermill boys were behind the framing of IB Bob. But where did they hide Thaddeus? Again, fortune visited them for the same reason, and they correctly guessed they would stash him in the Papermill which was the loudest to best muffle his gobbles from any passerby. The Advanced Papermill was the loudest mill. There was only one on the Island. But how to infiltrate it to retrieve Thaddeus if indeed he was locked away in there? After all, all the Papermills were in the same area on the Island, which meant all ten papermill boys could watch the Advanced Papermill and so guard Thaddeus. But IB Bob had the Intrepid Explorers, who could go anywhere discreetly. So off they went. They quickly found Thaddeus in the basement of the Papermill, took him back to the Mayor unnoticed, and explained that the Advanced Papermill was at fault.
The Mayor acted quickly. He enlisted all unemployed settlers in the army. Deliberately he assigned none to longbow because he never used longbows after his first six months in office and found them worthless except for fulfilling daily tasks for which he got rewards for the island. He borrowed the laptop and generator, clicked building menu, toolbox, remove building, and the Advanced Papermill. As his mill crashed to the ground, the former employee of that mill learned he was now a longbowman - the Island’s current sole longbowman. He then learned a “volunteer” longbowman was chosen for Secluded Experiments - him. After 16 minutes he was never seen again.
The remaining spared Papermill boys learned their lesson. They never dared again to challenge the need for an Improved Butcher on the Island.
All in all, the Mayor lost three days of income from Thaddeus’s valuable services.
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The isles' explorer team was summoned to the scene to investigate the theft. They immediately traced the steps of the thief, making plaster casts of the best prints. Upon completing the casts, they assembled the entire population of the island and began comparing the citizens shoes to those of the thief. They went through the entire populous of the isle with no matches. With it confirmed that there were none of the islands' citizens involved in the theft; the search for an outsider was begun. The only places to search were the isle of the Golum and the three, yet undeeded sectors. The Elite corps were activated and put to task search all areas of the island that are not inhabited, that we know of. After painstakingly going over the undeeded isles it was realized that the only possible place the thief could be was Golem Island. The Elites all gathered round the interior shores gazing at the isle of the Golem. Row boat were assembled and the assault was launched to retrieve the turkey. Upon landing on the odd lil' isle; they could hear faint turkey gobbles. This encouraged the troops greatly as they rushed toward the sounds. They came upon a smalll grove of trees and the gobbles were coming from that area; they all surrounded the grove and some peered through to see a really crusty looking little man, apparently sitting there talking to the turkey. The elite troops simply came through the trees surrounding the two and grabbed up them and removed them to the mayors' house. The lil' guy informed the mayor that he'd been living there since he could remember with only the occasional Golems as company and missing the Golems, desired to have another companion. After a short deliberation the mayor informed the lil' guy that he was welcome to join the other settlers in what ever capacity he felt he would enjoy. He immediately accepted and the turkey theft was solved.
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After arriving from a hard night of partying at the local pub settler John and Jane were
coming home only to find the place ransacked and destroyed. Worried what to do John looked
over the house but only found that the turkey was missing. Puzzled John and Jane started
to look around the neighborhood for answers. Things were starting to wear thin when Jane
stop at a local pawn shop to look around when she noticed that the pawn shop had a frozen
turkey for sale in a freezer for $10.00 bucks. After convincing the the owner with the receipt
for the turkey the owner told her that the turkey was pawned by their neighbor Mrs Smith. John
and Jane went to her house for answers and found Mrs Smith playing Settlers Online. After
confronting her she broke down and told her that she sold the turkey for money to play the
game and would buy them a new turkey. Being players their-self John and Jane forgave Mrs Smith
and they all started to play together and live happily ever after.
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The Intrepid Explorer stepped out into the cool morning air, a soft breeze blowing her hair. She had nothing but thoughts of joy on her mind as she walked down the gravel path, joyful about the upcoming feast, joyful that her husband has returned after spanking that crazy wench Ilsebille, his big helmet and steel sword hanging above the hearth.
It was after reaching down to grab some herbs that she noticed the footprints leading off into the forest, footprints leading away from the holding pen where Mr. Cranberry, the prized turkey and star of the feast tonight was held.
The gate had been forced open.
Mr. Cranberry was gone.
Dropping the herbs she had collected she ran back to the manor to tell Big, he at once retrieved his big helmet and steel sword from the hearth, a soldier once again.
The two ran into the forest, the smell of pine needles and moist earth drifting to meet them, the footprints a beacon leading the way. They hadn’t run far before discovering the broken cart, one lone turkey feather lying on the pinewood planks, one crimson drop of blood splattered next to it. They left the cart to continue pursuing the footprints. A short time later an exhausted coal mine comes into view, dilapidated, dark, damp, a lone banner flapping in the wind near the entrance.
The foot prints disappeared inside.
The pair quietly enter the mine and travel a short distance before coming to a stop at a bend in the shaft, a faint light is seen, and muffled noises are heard. They peer around the bend and see Chuck as he bends down to throw another hardwood log on his fire. He’s got Mr. Cranberry stuffed in a cage nearby. The Intrepid Explorer jumps out from around the bend and runs to the cage Mr. Cranberry is being held in, the general right behind her. Quick as a shadowsneaker Chuck grabs her and throws her to the ground then wheels around to face the general.
“What have we here?” exclaims Chuck. “An explorer and a general with an oversized helmet? Planning on snatching that turkey, are we?”
“He’s ours,” says the Intrepid as she lies bruised on the ground. “And you stole him from us.”
“Stole from you?” he shouts.
“Stole from you? Ha. Let’s talk about what you stole from me. Ever since that Excelsior thingy showed up most of the fighting occurs in faraway lands. Lands like Arabia, where young women go sleepless telling stories all night just to stay alive. Lands like Anteria, where so called ‘champions’ are bred. The other bosses and I, well, we’re bored, we’re lonely, and we haven’t kicked recruit butt in months. Metal Tooth is so upset his teeth are rusting; we started calling him ‘Bad Breath Barney’ and made him wear a purple shirt. I told him he should have used stainless. We won’t even talk about the part of the anatomy One-eyed lost in the exotic wood sawmill accident last week. The entire stink is gone from Skunk. So yeah, I took your precious turkey. How do you like things being taken from you? Huh? HUH?”
The general steps up to chuck, looks into his cold black eyes, and says “You whine too much, here, have a binky.” He draws his sword and slashes Chuck across the breast, across his soul. Chuck lets out a gasp as he falls backward, all the life run out of him.
“That’s for all the sac runs I’ve had to do cause of you, Chucky! And for taking our turkey” states the general.
He reaches into the cage and grabs Mr. Cranberry, turns to his wife and says, “Come on honey, its dinner time, and I want to stop at the brewery on the way home.”
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The Courageous Explorer returned home with her bounty--a 40 lb turkey. She was thrilled that she'd be able to feed all of the troops needed to defeat the Black Knights, on the eve of setting sail to the Knight's island. She cleaned and dressed the turkey, put it in the oven, and began preparing the side dishes and desserts. She knew she'd have to make traditional Syrian cookies (the favorite of the elite soldiers), some carrots for the cavalry, and carefully arranged fruit baskets, just like Aunt Irma taught her.
After a few hours of preparing the cookies and carrots and fruit baskets, our Explorer checked on the turkey. It wasn't ready, so she decided to have a few brews and take a nap.
When she awoke to check on the turkey, she exclaimed in horror! The turkey was gone! The strange sesame seed and pistachio Syrian cookies had been eaten and the fruit baskets were empty. Carrots were half-eaten and strewn about the house. She checked the time, and saw that it would be only an hour before all the troops arrived with their generals. Whatever would she do? Who was responsible for this travesty? Who took the food?
After downing another brew, she set about looking for clues. There were tiny footprints in the snow outside. "Perhaps I should follow those," she thought. So on she went. The footprints led her in circles around trees, where she'd find little things like packets of herbs, small kettles, empty food carts, and strange, glowing, blue rocks that seemed to hum. Those she thought were pretty, so she put them into her pocket when she found them.
Sometimes, the footprints led behind large rocks, where she'd find more little things, like golden cauldrons or tiny banners that were tattered from being left out in the winter weather. Those banners were very rare, compared to the packets of herbs, so she decided to collect those along the way, as well.
Soon, it was close to time for the troops to arrive, and she decided to return home to explain to them that there was no food. Along the way, she saw a little green shamrock, with footprints all around it as though the owner of the tiny feet had been dancing. She looked ahead and saw more shamrocks, each with tiny footprints around it. The shamrocks led to her door.
When she opened the door and looked inside, there was her nemesis, the Lucky Explorer, seated at her table. As she began to think that perhaps he had been the culprit, that he had stolen all the food (or eaten it--he was quite rotund), she heard a loud BOOM!
A demolition crew was blowing up rocks near her house.
With a click, she jumped up out of her chair and realized that it had all been a drunken dream! All the food was still there, the turkey was fully cooked, but all the brew was gone. She'd drank it all.
Soon, the troops arrived and, along with our Courageous Explorer, they enjoyed a hearty meal before their impending battle.
After the troops set off on their 8 or 15 or 30 minute journeys (depending upon what general they followed), our Courageous Explorer heard a strange humming sound. She reached into her pocket and pulled out some shiny blue rocks and a few tiny, worn banners. Had anything been real? Had it all really been a dream? She wasn't sure. She let out a hearty laugh and placed the collectible loot on the table, drank a few more brews, which were left behind by the troops, and fell back to dreamless sleep.
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"The Thanksgiving Turkey is missing!! The Thanksgiving Turkey is missing!!"
The cry rang out in the misty morning as townspeople groggily tried to make sense of the words. The Thanksgiving Turkey is missing? What? How?
Soon a crowd gathered in front of the Mayor's House, mumbling and grumbling amongst themselves. "We should never have let those Snodgrasses voluteer to look after the Turkey" and "I knew something like this would happen".
After a time the Mayor marched out to the crowd. "What is going on?", he demanded.
"The Thanksgiving Turkey is missing!", the people cried.
"Impossible!" snorted the Mayor, "I saw that turkey myself two days ago! It was fine!'
One of the Longbowmen stepped forward, "No, your Mayorship, it's true - the Turkey is gone. There are footsteps..." he paused, "...heading West".
The crowd gasped. "West!" As one they all glanced to the shores along the west side of the island and shivered with fear.
The Mayor, perceiving their apprehension, attempted to calm them. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It may be nothing. Where are the Scouts?"
A Savage Scout pushed his way through the crowd. "Some of us are here. The others, well, they're down at the Tavern, as usual."
"Mark out a sector for each of you and start searching for the Turkey - it may still be close at hand", the Mayor ordered.
"Do we get lunch?" one of the Scouts asked. "We always get lunch."
"And it's in our contract that we get paid. Will we get our 10 coins?" another asked.
"Yes, yes", the Mayor replied impatiently. "I will provide sausages and coin. Just get going!!"
Another murmur at the back of the crowd caught the Mayor's attention.
"What are you lot going on about?" he asked one of the Cavalrymen.
"The Bowmen think they should lead the search because they're stealthy. But the Cavalry can cover more ground. We should lead the search", the rider answered.
"You shall both search! Muster the Rohirim, er, Cavalrymen, and head through the plains to the mines. Take a Geologist with you. Soldiers, I want you to search along the shoreline." The Mayor turned toward the Militia. "Station yourselves around the perimeter of the Town in case this was a test to see our defences. We want to surprise anyone who tries to get back into our Town.
With an action plan in place the crowd glumly dispersed back home, worried about their Town and their Turkey.
Hours passed and evening closed in with no word from the search parties; the sense of foreboding deepened.
Then, another cry. "Little Jimmy Snodgrass is missing"
Nellie Snodgrass pushed past the guards and ran up the steps of the Mayor's house. She pounded on the door as the Mayor appeared.
"What is this I hear about Little Jimmy? What has he gone and done now? That boy is always getting into mischief!"
"My brother is missing. You must search for him, too. He didn't come home for supper! He never misses a meal! Please, Mr. Mayor, we must find him!"
The Mayor rolled his eyes at the guard and shrugged. "Send some Recruits over to the Generals' Landing Zone and see if Jimmy can be found. He's probably just hiding amongst the Generals' tents again. That child is always causing trouble!"
A few minutes later another cry of alarm went up. A Recruit ran back to the Mayor. "The Excelsior is missing!"
"WHAT?!? Oh, what is happening to our Town!"
"We searched the Generals' Tents for Jimmy, as you ordered, and when we came to the edge of the docks to check the boats we saw that the tie ropes for the Excelsior were just laying there and the Excelsior is gone!"
The Mayor sat down and wiped his face. "Someone has taken the Excelsior? This is too much! It has to be those Bandits!" He blubbered into his handkerchief. "What shall we do? I just want things to go back to normal!" Taking a deep breath, the Mayor composed himself. "Where is General Nusala?"
"She is recovering from battle. She led a Surprise Attack against those Nords who tried to land here, your Mayorship. She will be recovered in an hour or so."
"It will be fully dark by then. Go wake Lord Dracul, he works best at night. We will see what battle plan he can formulate. Oh, what a day!"
A muffled noise at the edge of town caught the Mayor's attention. Savage Scouts straggled in one by one after twelve hours of searching and the Townspeople gathered close to hear their reports.
"Any news?" someone asked.
"Nothing in the woods" a Scout answered.
"You didn't find any sign of the Turkey?" the Mayor asked.
"They probably only found map fragments", someone in the back muttered.
"No sign of the Turkey. And map fragments are very valuable!" one of the Scouts bristled.
"Now, now, enough arguing! Scouts, you have a new assignment - while you were gone the Excelsior disappeared. You must set out again to search for it.
"What?" the Scouts cried in dismay. "We only just got back!" "We ate all our sausages - we need more sausages!" "And coin! Don't forget the coin!"
"Yes, yes, of course. You shall have your lunches renewed. You have a job to do - Get on your way!"
The Scouts swaggered off to start looking again and the crowd relaxed.
Suddenly, the Mayor had an idea.
"Send for Mrs. Snodgrass"
A Crossbowman hurried toward the Snodgrass' shack.
Mrs. Snodgrass hustled over, wiping her hands on her grimy apron.
"Mrs. Snodgrass, when did Jimmy disappear?"
"Well, Mr. Mayor, I haven't seen him all day. He never came home for supper."
"Did you see him this morning?"
"Well, Mr. Mayor, I don't think so. He just gets up when he wants to and goes about his day until I call him home for supper"
"And when did you notice the Turkey was missing?"
"Well, Mr. Mayor, it was when I went out to give it his morning oats - he wasn't in his pen."
"And who saw the Excelsior last?" the Mayor asked the crowd.
"I saw it yesterday as the sun went down. It was real pretty up in the clouds" one of the Townsfolk replied.
"I know where the Thanksgiving Turkey is and I know where Little Jimmy Snodgrass is - - and I know where the Excelsior is!" the Mayor exclaimed triumphantly. "Follow me!"
The Mayor marched with the Townspeople past the Gold Mines and through the Woods. The path led to a small beach. Beyond, the Nameless Mountain loomed over them. And in the dimness a hulking shadow blocked out the stars...a shadow that looked distinctive...like the shape of the Excelsior. As the crowd watched the shadow came closer.
Nellie Snodgrass, who was up much later than her bedtime and who had snuck into the crowd without her mother knowing, called out with glee "It's Jimmy!"
Astonished, every head turned toward her. "What?? Jimmy?? What do you mean?"
"It's Jimmy! Jimmy's in the Excelsior!"
"How can this be?"
"Uh....Jimmy flies the Excelsior all the time... when no one is looking" Nellie admitted.
The Mayor nodded. "Yes, it's Jimmy. And I'll bet he has the Thanksgiving Turkey with him"
The crowd rushed forward to help secure the Excelsior as the ship landed on the beach.
Mr. Mayor and Mrs. Snodgrass climbed the rigging to the ship's deck and peered over the edge. There was Little Jimmy competently unpacking the landing lines. And there was the Thanksgiving Turkey, leashed to a mast, strutting back and force as the leash allowed.
"Well, what have you done now, Jimmy!?" Mrs. Snodgrass fretted.
"What is the meaning of this, my boy?" challenged the Mayor.
"The Turkey wanted to fly", answered Little Jimmy innocently, "Everyone knows turkeys can't fly -- so -- I took him for a ride in the Excelsior" Jimmy added.
The crowd dissolved into laughter at Little Jimmy's explanation. The Thanksgiving Turkey was safe! Little Jimmy was safe! And the Excelsior was safe! What a day!
They made their ways home that night, relieved, but full of questions: "That boy is always into something!" "Turkey wanted to fly - whoever heard of such a thing?" "How did he get up there?" "Thank goodness he brought it back!" "How did the Mayor know?"
The questions were all answered one by one during the Thanksgiving Feast the next evening and Little Jimmy was even allowed a cup of brew for being smart enough to fly the Excelsior.
The End. :)
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I would like to thank everyone who took the time to participate in this, hopefully, fun creative writing! As a thank you to everyone that took part in this you will all be getting 100 gems sent to you soon in game.
I also picked a top three that will be getting an additional prize as well. In no order at all my top three winners are: Trafik, QueenGaleria and Milhotep.
I truly hope you all enjoyed writing these as much as I did reading them! If you have any other suggestions on fun little things we can do on the forums please do feel free to drop the suggestions in a PM to me.
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Thank you very much! I enjoyed reading all the entries - congratulations to everyone who entered a story! This was fun :)
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